Nesting and stacking container



Feb.n 18, 1958 M, A. FRATER 2,823,828

NESTING AND STACKING CONTAINR y Filed July l, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 vnf/@24.2%

Feb. 18, 1958 M. A. FRATER N 2,823,828

NESTING AND sTAcKING CONTAINER Filed July 1l 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 18, 1958 M. A. FRATr-:R 2,823,828

NESTING AND STACKING CONTAINER Filed July 1, 1953 4 Sheefs-SheewlI 3 Feb. 1s, 195s M. A. FRATER 2,823,828 NESTING AND sTAcxING CONTAINER Filed July `1. 195s 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 States Patent O i* NESTING AND STACKING CONTAINER Milton A. Frater, Watertown, Wis. Application July 1, 1953, Serial No. 365,390

3 Claims. (Cl. 22097) The present invention relates to open top containers adapted to be either nested one within the other, or stacked one on top ofthe other.

One object of the invention is to provide an extremely sturdy improved container of the above character, which is capable oi' alfording exceedingly strong vertical support to an identical overlying container by means of unique, lightweight supporting structure formed in the container so that the whole container is well suited to be molded integrally from reinforced plastic material.

A further object is to provide nesting and stacking containers of the above character, which are well adapted when stacked together to serve as storage bins, in that the stacking of one container on another does not block access to the lower container through the top of the latter.

An additional object is to provide a nesting and stack* ing container of the character recited in the preceding objects, which is well suited by its inherent sturdiness and simplicity of design, to be made of any formable, shapable, or moldable material, including metals and plastics.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan View of a container embodying the invention, indicating in phantom lines the position assumed by the lower end of an identical container stacked on top ofthe container shown;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the container shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing a cross section of container structure taken along the line 3 1-3 of Fig. l, and indicating the manner in which a number of containers are nested together;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a container embodying the invention, and adapted to serve as a storage bin when supporting an identical container, illustrated in phantom lines;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line S-5 of Fig. 4, but showing two identical containers stacked together;

Fig. 6 is an end view showing two of the Fig. 4 containers nested together;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 7--7 of Fig. 6, and showing in cross section the next to lowest container nested within the lowermost container;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a further modification of the invention; t

Fig. 9 is an end elevational View of the container shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a further modiication in the form of the container.

The illustrated containers embodying the present .in vention are strikingly simple in construction.` Each container is generally rectangular in shape and tapers inwardly from top to bottom. While the containers may be made of any suitable material, they are particularly designed to be formed, cast, or molded, using a suitable ICC metal, or a suitable plastic, preferably a glass liber reinforced thermosetting plastic.

As shown in Figs. l to 3, each container comprises a llat bottom 1li, outwardly tapered corrugated or scalloped end walls 12 and 14, and at side walls 17 and 18. The upper edges of the side and end walls terminate in a continuous rectangular liange, upward projection, or bead 2t), the corners of which are rounded. The inwardly eX- tending convolutions of the end wall 12 are joined to the bead 20 by horizontal flat ledges or shelves 22, 23, 24, while the upper ends of the inwardly projecting convolutions of the end wall 14 are joined to the bead 2t? by ledges 25 and 26.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the bead 20 may be provided with a reinforcement 28 which may be in the form of a wire or a braided glass ber cord. As indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, the shelf portions 22 to 26, which bridge the upper ends of the respective inwardly projecting convolutions or bends, are at a somewhat lower level than the top of the bead 20. From Fig. 2 it will also be apparent that the outwardly extending convolutions or bends of the end walls are tapered, being wider at the top than at the bottom, so that the containers may be nested one within the other as indicated in Fig. 3.

When the containers are stacked, the alternate containers are oriented through an angle of so that the outwardly projecting convolutions of the ends and bottom of the upper container rest upon the supporting ledges 22 to 26. This is indicated in Fig. l by the dot-dash lines 30 and 31 which respectively represent the outlines of the inside and outside surfaces of the bottom of an upper container which has been placed upon a lower container. The fact that the bead 20 projects above the upper surfaces of the ledges or shelves 22 to 26 prevents the upper container from sliding endwise any appreciable ex tent with respect to the lower container. Any desired number of containers may thus be stacked one upon another, with alternate containers oriented in one direction and the intermediate containers oriented in the opposite direction.

The extent to which the containers will nest one with in the other is determined by the wall thickness and the degree of slope of the walls. The taper or slope of the walls should be suicient that the containers may be easily withdrawn from nested position. This will depend somewhat upon the material from which the containers are made. The slope of the walls should not, however, be very great except in cases where the container is specifically designed to be used as a bin and access to each container in a stack of containers is to be made possible bythe greater taper.

These containers may be used for a large variety of purposes; for example, in the collection, shipment, and storage of various fruits and vegetables, and as tote boxes for handling a large variety of parts and materials in industrial plants.

The containers are of such conformation that when empty and nested, or when loaded and stacked, there is very little loss of storage space. This saving of space is an important factor when the containers are used to transport material in trucks and freight cars, as Well as when the containers are used to store the materials.

The modication shown in Figs. 4 to 7 is generally similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 3, except that there are fewer and deeper corrugations or scallops in the end walls. Similar reference characters have therefore been applied to directly corresponding parts in the two forms of the invention.

ln this second embodiment of the invention, the inwardly extending corrugations or 4convolutions in the end walls l2 and ftd have their upper ends joined to the bead 20 by horizontal dat ledges or shelves 3d, 36, and

Patented ret. 1s, 195s' 38,Vv the shelves 34'and 36' joining the end wall 12 to the bead'20, and the shelf 38 joiningv the" end wall 14 to the bead. As in the previously described embodiment of the invention, the upper surfaces of the ledges 34, 36, and `38am below'the'top' of the bead" 20.'

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate how the modifieilv for'm'V of containers vmay nest one within the other.l In` Fig. 7 the upper of the two bottom containers is shown in cross section, and the sections of the walls lofthe containers above it are omitted.

Fig. illustrates how the containers may be stacked one upon another. In Fig. 4, the dot-dash lines 40vand 41 respectively represent the outlines of the inner and outer surfaces' ofthe bottom of the upper container",4

showing how the portions of the bottom at thelo'wer ends `of the outwardly extending convolutionrest upon the supporting ledges or shelves of the lower container.

In the embodiment of Figs. 4' to 6, the 'end walls 12 and 14 slope at a substantially greater angle than in the embodiment shown in Figs. l to 3. The purpose of this will be apparent from Fig. 5, wherein it will be observed that the outwardly projecting convolution of the end l2 of the lower container extends considerably beyond the inwardly projecting convolution of the end 14 of the upper container, thus providing an opening for access to the lower container, and providingspouts for guiding the ilow of liquid or pourable contents whenl emptyingA the container.

Similarly, the outwardly projecting convolutions in the end wall 14 of the lower container extend substantially beyond the inwardly projecting convolutions of the-wall 12 of the upper container, so that there are provided two places where access may be had to the contents of the lower container. This will be clearly apparent from Fig. 6, wherein the space between'line 40, representing the bottom of the upper container, and the end wall 14 defines an open area (in the plane of the bottom of the upper container) through which access may be had to the contents ofthe lower container.

T he containers of this modied'form of the invention are therefore well suited to be used as bins for the storage of small parts'in factories, stores, cold storage warehouses, etc.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the side walls '44 slope downwardly at an angle of substantially 45, whereas the end walls 46 have a much steeper slope, the slope being preferably just suincien't to permit nesting of the containers.y The central portions of thev end walls 46 have corrugations, the sameas those of the container shown in Fig. l, in their central portions, andare provided with shelves or ledges 47S'at one end and ledges or shelves/49 at the" other end,` upon which the end portions' of the bottom of 'a second' similar container may rest when the second container is placed thereon after being oriented through 180. The outlineof the bottom of the fsecond' container is indicated by the 'dot-dash line 50while the dotdash line Sl'represents the? outline of theinner surface'of the bottom of the second-container.

it will be clear that when containers of the type shown in Figs. 8 and 9 are "stacked, ready access'may be had to the `contents so that containers of this shape will serve admirably as bins for parts and materials.`

Figi l0 shows a modification in the form of the bottoms ofthe containers and'in the' form of the ledges' vention.

one upon the other. The reinforcing beads at the upper edgs of thev container not only strengthen them, but in effect provide handles so that the container may be manually grasped. When the containers are to be used for carrying relatively large articles, suitable handholes may be provided beneath the rim.

It is not absolutely essential in the carrying out of my invention that two of the" walls be corrugated in substantiallysinusoidal form. Instead, the Vcorrugations may be reetangular, triangular, or of any other suitable shape. However, it should be noted that the phase of the lines of corrugation katthe opposite end walls are displaced by'l80". By this is meant that inwardly projecting convolutions inone endwall are opposite outwardly projecting convolutions in the other end wall. Furthermore, if desired, to provide a container somewhat stronger the side walls, as well as the end walls, may be corrugated. If the side rwalls are corrugated, the"inwardlyfprojecting convolutions thereof should be so arranged that'the containers will nest andthat the ledges or shelves at the upper end of the inwardly projectingconvolutions'rwill be available as supports upon which the outwardly projecting portions of the bottom of thev second or upper container may rest.

In order to make it possible to stack the containers, it is necessary that the shelf portions thereof extend inwardly a distance at least as great as the horizontal projection of the slope ofthe wall forming the outwardly projecting corrugations. In other words, referring to Fig. 5, the dimension a must be at least substantially as great, yor greater, than vthe dimension b.` If the containers are of such form that dimension a is equal to the dimension b, the overlap of the outward projections of the vbottom of the upper of a pair of stacked containers with respect to the shelf parts of the lower container will have a maximum longitudinal' dimension equal to the thickness of the wall of the container. v

Thisnecessary relationship will become clearly appar ent by a comparison of Figs.` 1 and 4. It will be seen that in Fig. l, where theend walls slope at a steep angle, the maximum longitudinal dimensions of the shelf parts are relatively small, whereas in Fig. 4, in which the slope of the end wallsy is less steep, the maximum longitudinal `dimensions of the shelf parts are considerably greater than in the container shown in Fig. 1.

Stated differently with reference to Fig. 4, the maximum distance d between the outer edge of a stacking abutment 43 at the lower end of an outwardly projecting corrugation in 'the end wallv 12' and4 the center c of thel containedinthe horizontal plane is greater than the minimum distance e from the same center' to the stacking abutment or ledge 38 paired with the abutment 43` at the upper end of an inwardly projecting convolution' 'on the opposite 'end 14V of the container.

The invention may be embodied in containers of a varietyl'of shapes,'in addition to rectangular and square, although for most uses the rectangular shape will be found most practical `and convenient. Therefore, in the followingl claims the terms end, side, length, etc., should be construed broadly when applied to containers which are not rectangular. In rectangular containers the corrugations may ybe ein the sides or endsor both, but'themostspace is conserved if thev corrugations are in the end walls.. l I

While I havel shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention,V it will be apparent that numerous variations and modifications thereof may be lmade without departing from the underlying principles" ofthe in- I therefore desire, bythe following claims, to include within the scope of the invention all such variations and modifications by which substantially `the results of myv invention*` may bey obtained through the use of vsubstzvintially the same or equivalent 'means l. ,Alijlleg'rai generally rectangular container for use with other identical containers which may be nested or stacked, comprising, a bottom, at side walls sloping inwardly at an angle of approximately forty-tive degrees, end walls sloping inwardly at an angle of approximately seventy degrees with respect to the plane of the bottom, said end walls having tapered convolutions therein, the outwardly projecting convolutions being wider at the top than at the bottom and being so arranged that an inwardly extending convolution of one end is opposite an outwardly extending convolution of the other end, shelfi f like portions extending across the tops of thc inwardly projecting convolutions of the end walls, the maximum horizontal spacing from the central vertical plane of the container of the lower ends of the outwardly extending convolutions exceeding the minimum spacing from the same plane of the shelf-like portions at the upper ends of the inwardly extending convolutions, and a generally rectangular bead above the level of the shelf-like portions extending around the upper edges of the side and end Walls and joined to the shelf-like portions.

2. An integral generally rectangular container having a bottom, dat side walls sloping gradually inwardly, end walls sloping steeply inwardly, said end walls having vertically tapered horizontally offset convolutions therein, the outwardly projecting convolutions being wider at the top than at the bottom and being so arranged that an inwardly extending convolution of one end is opposite an outwardly extending convolution of the other end, shelf-like portions extending across the tops of the re spective inwardly projecting convolutions of the end walls, the maximum horizontal spacing from the central vertical plane of the container of the lower ends of the outwardly projecting convolutions exceeding the minimum spacing from the same plane of said shelf-like portions, and a generally rectangular bead above the level of the shelf-like portions extending around the upper edges of the side and end walls and joined to the shelf-like portions.

3. A container adapted for stacking and nesting having: at side walls sloping inwardly, end walls sloping inwardly and having tapered convolutions therein, the outwardly projecting convolutions being wider at the top than at the bottom and being so arranged that an inwardly extending convolution of one end is opposite an outwardly extending convolution of the other end, horizontal shelfllrc portions extending across the tops of the respective inwardly projecting convolutions of the end Walls, the maximum horizontal spacing from the central vertical plane of the container of the lower ends of the outwardly extending convolutions exceeding the minimum horizontal spacing from the same plane of said shelf-like portions, and a bead above the level of the shelf-like portions extending around and joined to the upper edges of the side and end walls and joined to the outer edges of the shelf-like portions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,715,782 Pickop June 4, 1929 1,994,664 `Pftzer Mar. 19, 1935 2,064,518 Brogden Dec. 15, 1936 2,252,964 Faulkner Aug. 19, 1941 2,311,613 Slayter Feb. 16, 1943 2,314,835 Johns et al. Mar. 23, 1943 2,599,727 Schmidt June 10, 1952 2,655,283 Moldt Oct. 13, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 64,511 Norway Feb. 23, 1942 503,330 Belgium June 15, 1951 

